1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a hair dryer in which the air flow is ducted in a new manner so as to reduce power consumption and noise, while at the same time protecting the scalp from overheating.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional hand held hair dryers provide a strong flow of heated air, and this is necessary due to the preconceived theory of operation. Namely, it is understood by those in the art that the flow of air must be sufficiently intense that the air travels the distance from the hair dryer to the hair (usually about six inches), and then still be strong enough to penetrate through the hair to dry even the hair closest to the scalp. Since the scalp may be covered by as much as an inch of hair, the conventional hair dryer is engineered so as to be capable of penetrate a one inch layer of hair.
Obviously, not everyone has this much hair, and for those with less hair, the feeling of hot air blowing on the scalp is uncomfortable at best, and localized overheating and overdrying is injurious to the scalp and hair root system at worst.
Animal groomers have a similar problem, in that animals can not talk or complain when they are uncomfortable during grooming, and a powerful jet of hot air blowing on the skin of the animal irritates the animal. An uncomfortable animal is difficult to groom.
The most common response to this problem involves the provision of diffusers. Diffusers are attached to the air outlet of a hair dryer in order to diffuse and soften the flow of air. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,135 (Scivoletto) teaches an air diffuser and hair lifter attachment for a blow dryer, wherein the attachment functions to lower the velocity and to diffuse the air flow. A plurality of hair lifters are provided so that the hair can be lifted while being dried, resulting in more body. However, the diffuser is merely an attachment to a conventional blow dryer, and thus there is no reduction in power consumption. Further, the flow of air remains directed onto the scalp, so that there is no protection of the scalp.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,007 (Montagnio) teaches a diffuser attachment for a hair dryer, in which cooler ambient air is mixed into the stream of hot air exiting from the hair dryer during use. This reduces the likelihood of overheating of the scalp. However, this attachment merely increases the inefficiency of the hair dryer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,283 (Tomaro) teaches a diffuser attachment for a hair dryer. Included in the diffuser is a freely rotating fan, such that air passing through the diffuser will cause the fan to rotate, breaking up the air flow, and dispersing the air flow into a plurality of diversely directed air currents. Finger-like projections can be used as spacers to insure that the hair dryer is kept a predetermined distance from the head. This diffuser adheres to the notion that hot air from the hair dryer must be blown onto the head.
Recently, U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,339 (Andis et al) disclosed a hair dryer diffuser including a grill defining a number of discharge openings, and a plurality of generally hollow fingers extending from the grill. The fingers define respective finger passageways and discharge openings. A valve regulates the balance of air flow between the grill discharge openings and the finger discharge openings. The fingers are so constructed that the air flow leaving the fingers is directed generally coaxially with the fingers and general air flow (see FIG. 4). Further, the main air flow from the grill discharge openings is directed down onto the scalp. Further yet, this patent merely discloses a diffuser attachment for attaching to a conventional hair dryer, so that no improvement in energy savings can be realized.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,759 (Rizzuto, Jr.) teaches a reversible diffuser for a hair dryer. The diffuser comprises a main body with a removable and reversible air outlet plate. When the air outlet plate is in a first orientation, the outward appearance is of a series of holes. When the plate is removed and inverted, the appearance is of a series of vent orifices with a number of finger-like projections interspersed. The bulk of the air flow is directed out of the vent orifices onto the scalp, while a minor portion of the air flow is directed through the fingers, out air openings at the ends of the fingers, and onto the scalp (see FIG. 2). Again, no improvement in economy over a conventional hair dryer is envisioned, and air flow remains directed onto the scalp, as is consistent with the prevailing theory of hair drying.
Although the above-discussed diffusers are capable of dissipating the mainstream of air from a blow dryer into a plurality of smaller and gentler anticurrents, and while they do permit comfortably holding the hand-held hair dryer closer to the scalp, they all nevertheless retain a number of disadvantages. First, the electrical power supply for a conventional hair dryer is rather significant, and no cost saving is associated with the mere attachment of a diffuser to a conventional hair dryer. Further, the amount and temperature of the air flow cannot be regulated so as to provide, on the one hand, optimal drying power, and on the other hand, comfort to the scalp. Finally, the air flow is always directed toward the scalp and thus remains an irritant to the scalp.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a device for drying hair which makes more efficient and economical use of electricity.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a hair dryer which effectively and efficiently dries hair without at the same time impacting upon and irritating the scalp.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a hair drying device which is less irritative and more soothing in terms heat, air flow and noise, and which thus would be preferred for use also in animal grooming practices.